Frank.Zappa-Strictly.Genteel

Frank Zappa - Strictly Genteel - A Classical Introduction To Frank Zappa (1997)
Genre: Rock | Label: Rykodisc | 18 Tracks | MP3 320 kbps | 160 MB
Track List:

01. Uncle Meat: Main Title Theme
02. Regyptian Strut
03. Pedro's Dowry
04. Outrage At Valdez
05. Little Umbrellas
06. Run Home Slow Theme
07. Dwarf Nebula Processional March & Dwarf Nebula
08. Dupree's Paradise
09. Opus 1, No.3, 2nd Movement, Presto
10. Duke Of Prunes
11. Aybe Sea
12. Naval Aviation In Art?
13. G-Spot Tornado
14. Bob In Dacron, First Movement
15. Opus 1, No.4, 2nd Movement Allegro
16. Dog Breath Variations
17. Uncle Meat
18. Strictly Genteel
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A more than adequate introduction to the world of Frank Zappa's instrumental music. A great deal of attention was focused on Zappa's often infantile lyrics, sometimes to the extent that the quality of Zappa's music was ignored. From a performance standpoint, the music was often a challenge (becoming almost impossible once Zappa was composing for the Synclavier); from a compositional standpoint, Zappa's instrumental music shows its 20th-century influences in no uncertain terms.
Strictly Genteel serves up music performed by orchestral ensembles as well as pieces performed on Synclavier and in a band context, with the common thread being Zappa's overall brilliance -- while sometimes an imperfect composer, his drive and talent resulted in a huge body of excellent work that may one day come to be appreciated by classicists.
Subtitled "A "Classical" Introduction to Frank Zappa," this lives up to that claim in grand style. The set draws from his orchestral and small ensemble instrumental work. Three performances are culled from THE YELLOW SHARK and the remaining run the gamut from the expected ("Little Umbrellas" from HOT RATS, JAZZ FROM HELL's "G-Spot Tornado," the London Symphony performing the title track) to the forgotten nugget ("Aybe Sea" from BURNT WEENY SANDWICH, "Duke of Prunes" from ORCHESTRAL FAVORITES). Not only does this collection serve as a proper overview of Zappa's prodigious output as a composer, but it also stands up perfectly well in its own right as a smartly sequenced and completely engaging album. It was assembled posthumously, but he'd no doubt have approved.